Full Transcript

• As a Client Account Manager, how do you create an environment where staff feel comfortable contributing observations and new ideas?
• First, I think it's important to recognize that when staff are uncomfortable, they, they hold back and they don't share. It's my role to create an environment where every team member feels comfortable and empowered to contribute observations and new ideas without fear. I aim to build trust with individual staff through meaningful candid and informal dialogue via their preferred communication style. I strive to set a positive example by actively listening to concerns, providing direct and constructive feedback and fostering an atmosphere of trust and respect. And I think this open judgment, free communication is what leads to and enables success of the project team. I have the benefit of working with a wonderful team with diverse skill sets who share a common goal of growing a portfolio for a client who values safety by preemptively addressing potential issues and providing ample space for open communication. We ensure that every team member feels valued and empowered to contribute to our success. We do this by reviewing relevant project-related safety moments, submitting Gensuite observations and sharing lessons learned from project missteps. Staff on my team won't get in trouble for safety reporting - we encourage it. Instead we use reporting as a learning opportunity to help the whole team learn and grow. I prioritize empowering teams by giving them time and space. Ideally, without the pressure of schedule and budget so that they do not have to feel like they are rushed to get a job done in the field, forcing them to choose between efficiency and safety. Because we have a shared goal with the client and emphasis on safety, we are able to manage changes from the office side instead of pushing it on to our field staff.
• How do you leverage programs and tools to drive safety-related sharing, learning, and visibility?
• We've utilized technology and developed programs to satisfy client safety expectations and ensure continuous improvement. First, we've embraced technology like QNOPY in an effort to standardize our field forms and also create clients-specific field forms and prejob briefings. This created the framework for providing quality and consistency across the portfolio of work. Secondly, Gensuite helps us to record and manage safety observations. We have a portfolio wide goal for safety reporting through Gensuite which is a leading indicator of our safety performance. We review the observations and develop lessons learned to share out with our team for cross learning and to avoid repeating potential pitfalls. This in turn enhances our safety performance as well as client satisfaction. We also leverage Haley and Aldrich's safety minor program to fulfill our client's desire to have full time safety people on site. A team member completed this minor program to grow her safety knowledge and in turn helps us to better serve our clients. Lastly, when Teams became our primary communication and file management platform, we utilized its features to manage projects and client portfolio items in a highly visible manner. This includes health and safety tracking of our internal client-specific orientation standard, Haley & Aldrich training certificates and client-specific training requirements and documents. A simple export provides the training records needed to support health and safety plans. This highly visible tracking method keeps staff accountable for owning and updating their information so we remain in compliance.
• What are the key benefits of fostering a culture where all team members feel empowered to share their ideas and perspectives?
• Fostering a culture where all team members feel empowered to share their ideas and perspectives, improves our service delivery to clients and with regards to health and safety, ensures our staff go home in the same condition as they arrived at work. Conversations where multiple perspectives are integrated, help to generate novel solutions.